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What is mesothelioma?
Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer in which malignant (cancerous) cells are found in the
mesothelium, a protective sac that covers most of the body's internal organs. Most people who develop
mesothelioma have worked on jobs where they inhaled asbestos particles.
Mesothelioma is a disease in which cells of the mesothelium become
abnormal and divide without control or order. They can invade and damage nearby tissues and organs.
Cancer cells can also metastasize (spread) from their original site to other parts of the body. Most
cases of mesothelioma begin in the pleura or peritoneum.
What is the mesothelium?
The mesothelium is a membrane that covers and protects most of the internal organs of the body. It
is composed of two layers of cells: One layer immediately surrounds the organ; the other forms a sac
around it. The mesothelium produces a lubricating fluid that is released between these layers, allowing
moving organs (such as the beating heart and the expanding and contracting lungs) to glide easily
against adjacent structures.
The mesothelium has different names, depending on its location in the body. The peritoneum is the
mesothelial tissue that covers most of the organs in the abdominal cavity. The pleura is the membrane
that surrounds the lungs and lines the wall of the chest cavity. The pericardium covers and protects
the heart. The mesothelial tissue surrounding the male internal reproductive organs is called the
tunica vaginalis testis. The tunica serosa uteri covers the internal reproductive organs in women.
Sources of National Cancer Institute Information
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